The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-12-01

the people said on the island. Young
Herbert Lawrence belonged to the
city, and that society in which the
Ravenals wre shining lights. Alberta
thought he was the handsomest young
man she had ever seen and the bright
est, and of course she fell in love with
him. When he went into the war, got
Drowned and toughened in the service,
and came back to her toward the
close in all the glory of a captains reg
imentals. her love-dream was unut-
terably bissful; she gloried in him.
The obstacle holding them apart
was Acton. To Alberta's intense in.
dignation and dismay, Captain Law
renee sided with the Ravenals in this
matter; and, what added to the un.
happiness OF the situation, Acton long
ago had conceived a mortal antipathy
for the captain and always contrived
to make his visits to Alberta as un-
pleasant as possible. 1t was just in
the midst of all this that Alberta,
without q word to her lover, took
Acton and made her famous retreat
to Castle Folly. Captain Lawrence
| followed soon after to make her alast
appeal. His welcome was all ne could
have wished, except where Acton was
concerned.
But he was man, an ard emit lover
and impatient; he forced Alberta to q
decision which wrung the hearts OF
both. "Why should she keep him
waiting?" he asked. She had kept
him waiting so long already. He want
ed her-he must have her. He plead.
ed his cause maniully, eloquently, and
while he spoke only in this strain she
was sweet and fearful and yielding.
But when he grew impatient and said
it was time for her to decide between
him and "that boy" she threw up
her head and was fearful and yielding
no longer.
1t was no trihing lovers quarrel.
Captain Lawrence called upon her to
decide ut once whether she was engaged
to him for life or to "thatboy," where
upon Miss Alberta passionately de-
clared that she was mistress OF her
own hand and heart, and she would
neither marry nor love any man who
could be so brutal toward her poor
brother as to join the Ravenals in
their wicked, wicked design. AS for
Captain Lawrence, he had grown in
sufferable in his selfish demands, and
she was done with him forever. TAX
ing her at her word, the captain turn
ed right about and marched out of the
house. But, ere he had mounted his
horse, impulsive Miss Alberta ran aft
er him down to the carriage gate.
"Don't 60 away angry with me, Her.
bert" she said, with tears in her eyes.
81 can't give Acton up-I must stay
here with him; but let us-don't let us
part angry at each other"
And then, as he turned round upon
her in his grief and anger, the captain
looked as if he thought her more
beautiful and charming than ever be-
fore. He said not word, but with
almost sob, he seized her in his
arms an6 kissed her once, twice, thrice,
then he let her 60, and sprang upon
his horse, riding away like the wind,
and never looked back.
Alberta ran into the house-ran
blindly past Acton who stood on the
piazza, past sorrowful, observant old
Aunt Dicey in the hall, and threw her.
self upon the sitting.room lounge,
where she sobbed long time. Acton
came in and stood over her by and
by.
"Why, Alberta?" he said, his tone
full of rebuke. would you cry that
way for that conceited, two-legged
toad?"
go away, Acton" she begged, add.
ing, as she turned her face to the wall.
II am breaking my heart for you,
poor boy"
Alberta was determined not to fall
ter in the carrying out of what she
looked upon as her sacred duty, but
it was rather dull, wearing life for
her on the lonesome plantation, with
only poor Acton and Aunt Dicey for
company, and she listened to the per-
suasions of her relatives and went to
the city for short visit, leaving Ac-
ton behind. It was the first and only
time. Acton seemed willing for her to
90. During the first few days he ap.
peared content, and behaved with
great propriety, but when week OF
ten days had gone by, one morn.
ing he came out of his room in one o.
his worst moods and, going into the
kitchen, ordered Aunt Dicey to write
and tell Alberta to come home.
who, me?" cried Aunt Dicey, in
amazement. claws a-mussy! chile,
canh write. Don you know 1 cant
write? I dunner B from tullfoot
You write it, honey"
But Acton was determined, delar
ing that he would have mo foollng.'
: And when she still protested he caught
up the carvingknife and chased the
/ terrified old woman all over the house
until she, with calculating, if tardy
wit, ran in and sat down at Alberta's
writing-table, where she breathlessly
; seized pen and made a pretense O
writing a letter. Having filled 6
sheet with unintelligible marks, SHIT
; folded it hastily and put it in an en-
velope, which she then sealed with 6
: drop of melted sealing-wax, stamping
the same with the Ravenal crest, al
she had often seen Alberta do. This
i done, the cunning creature spoke per
suasively to the boy, who stood guaro
at the door, carving knife in hand.
'Now. honey, you write de name OF
de outside, Gaze you KIN write de put
tyes', you know"
And, dropping the big knife, Actor
complied without a word, afterwards
stamping the letter and sending it of
} to the post.
When Alberta received Aunt Dicey'l
hieroglyphic scrawl she knew thai
,, something must be wrong; SO she tool
: the next train for home. Never agar
after that would she consent to q
. away and leave Acton behind.
Alberta's heart was heavy over wha
the boy had done. Heretofore sh'
, had felt almost convinced that sh,
could cure him, for Acton was mo-
, half-witted, nor an imbecile; he talked
nationally enough when he chose, a!
it seemed, and his intellect was al
keen as it could be, perhaps. 1t wa
only that he would do strange ant
|, sometimes silly things when the evi
mood was on him.
: Alberta sat with him and held hi
, hand and wept a long time when sh'
, came home and had heard the tale